Prime Minister's Office
English rendering of PM’s speech at Jan Abhar Rally at Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh on 27th December, 2018
Mother India!, Victory to thee!,
Mother India!, Victory to thee!
My beloved brothers and sisters from the God’s land, who are present here in great numbers,
Whenever an opportunity to come to Himachal arises, and I come to you, feels like I’ve come home to my own people, I am fortunate to have got the opportunity to learn, work and organize in every nook and corner, for some long years. I am very happy that the people I have worked with, on tehsil level and district level, today, have become front-line leaders in a matter of two decades. Nobody can even imagine the happiness this sight gives me!
To have seen the ones, whom I have worked with on a lower level, having seen their caliber, to see them blossom, and see them achieve heights, it gives me immense pleasure and I feel, that period of my life is blessed. On this occasion, I would like to heartily congratulate all my friends and colleagues that I got the opportunity to work with, for years. Today they are achieving new heights of progress and with their caliber, are leading our beloved Himachal to new heights.
This is sacred land of gods and goddesses, of mother Jwala, of mother Chamunda, of mother Chintpurni,of Bhimakali, of Hidimba Devi. The many memories, and the life in every nook and corner, comprise of the rich heritage of this place. Every village is a residence of a deity; such is the life, where peace is the implicit character.
Can anyone imagine, when the progeny of these brave mothers, stand with guns on their shoulders, to protect their country, enemies tremble with fear! Bravery, fortitude, strength runs in the veins of soldiers of this land. It is fortunate that every house that produces these brave soldiers and their brave mothers is also a torch bearer of peace. This in itself is a matter of prominence. This peace filled life, this feeling of brotherhood and love that I have experienced; I wish I could go on and talk about this. Bravery is born out of the womb of peace here, and such bravery is unabated. This in itself, one can say is a part of eminence of Himachal.
Today, just the moment I arrived from the helipad, Shantaji had made me re-live old memories afresh. Come to our dear old Kangra! Our Dhauladhar! Our Dharamshala! It has proven its prominence in the world of Indian sports. This has become a center of attraction for investors. I would like to greet and congratulate you all for the progress this place had made, in this short period of time.
I have to leave soon this time because of my busy schedule, as the Parliament's session is also going on. But sometimes it’s a pleasure to re-live old memories. Coming here and not thinking about Kangri-dham is not possible! Many-a-time, in marriages and meetings we have relished its food. “Chane aur Maas ki daal”, “Jimi kand ki sabji” flavored rice, and when “Madra” is served! I have to go without tasting any of these for today.
I have been much inspired by the film that was shown. One year is not a lot of time in a state. In-fact it’s very less. Much time spent will go towards just setting up of new offices of a new government, and organizing various things. Within one year, much work has been done, efforts have been made, and initiatives are taken to expand the access of the government by common people and every household. I would like to congratulate Jairamji and his team on achieving this. This is an achievement made by your concerted effort. But will you do something for me? Sure?
It’s known that people of Himachal are true to their word. Please do this for me. This film which is shown here, today, should be forwarded through clips to every mobile in Himachal. Will you surely do this for me? Through this people will know of the great work done here.
Friends,
There is a strong connection between Atalji and Himachal. It’s like a second home for him. In some way or the other he always used to spend time with the people of Himachal. All the employment opportunities that are blossoming in Himachal today are because of the strong foundations that Atal Bihari Vajpayee had laid. BJP government is also following steps in the same direction, where progress can be made in sectors of tourism, agriculture and employment.
There is an old saying that is used very frequently, which was proven wrong from time to time by Jairam ji's government under BJP. As the saying goes “The hill’s water and youth never become useful for the Hills itself”. It is said so that water just flows away, and the youth go outside to find employment elsewhere.
But today, the government of Himachal has proved that the water of the mountain can be used by its people. And the youth of the mountain will also of useful for itself, for the bright future of the place.
For achieving this, vocational training, and skill development have been introduced, under ‘Human resource Development’. Paving a path towards a bright future for the newer generation has been done with so much meticulously that it influences every one. In the coming few years this will lead Himachal in such a way that, no other small states will be able to compete with it. I am able to see it. The progress in employment is mainly included in the schemes created in the past one year. These schemes are really far-sighted and expansive and clearly indicate the bright future of Himachal.
When some state is doing extra work, that too with perfection, we also feel to contribute something for them. During the previous central government’s rule, Himachal used to get Rs. 21,000 crores. But after BJP government came to power Himachal is getting Rs. 72,000 crores. It means Rs. 50,000 crores more than the previous government. This became possible as the government is assured that every penny invested here is used for doing good work. Every penny spent will result in a new, bright and self-sufficient Himachal; a Himachal that scales new heights of progress. Government has complete trust in Himachal. It has trust in its people and its representatives. I am able to see the expenditure of every penny in the right way at every stage.
I remember quite well that when I used to work here, it did annoy me that, if I need to go to a ‘Shakti kendra’, I had to scale a few hills, because we did not have roads. But now, to eliminate these difficulties, with the help of “Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana”, we are pushing the limits to give facilities and infrastructure to support it.
In our Lahaul-Spiti, the potatoes that are grown there are known for their quality. But due to lack of infrastructure, the fresh produce doesn’t reach the market in time, and gets wasted. And the farmers don't get the profit that they deserve. I saw this problem back in time, when I used to work here.
We are also thinking in the direction of “value-addition”, so we can estimate the progress and changes we can bring even in remote places.
In the past few days, a prominent decision has been taken, that would prove profitable for the farmers here in Himachal. We spoke with companies like Coca-cola, Pepsi, Fanta, etc., who sell aerated water, and asked them to include five-percent fruit juices, so that the fruit farmers will be able to access a very big market, and those who drink it will also benefit from the nutrition of fruits.
And slowly, companies are coming forward to include fruit juice in their aerated water. And I see that, this will create a huge market for the fruit farmers.
We are also going to bring the next-generation infrastructure, be it in railways, electricity, solar appliances, petroleum facilities, we have invested approximately Rs.26,000 crores in projects in this small state of Himachal alone. You can imagine how Rs. 26,000 crores worth projects, when completed, will help Himachal in scaling new heights of progress.
When it comes to railways, we have taken an initiative for the Kalka-Shimla railway for tourists who come to experience the train-journey of the past. You might have noticed that the Seats have been upgraded and the coach has glass covering all around so that the tourists can sit in the train and enjoy the beauty of the nature throughout their journey. This proves that with minimal effort, how we can bring changes in tourism.
The connectivity through railway-network is of prominence. With approximately Rs.15000 crores we are working on four long railway lines. 'Nangal Dam-Talwara' railway line, 'Chandigarh-Baddi' railway line, 'Una-Hamirpur' railway line and Bhanupalli-Bilaspur-Beri' railway line will be completed in coming days, making way for a modern Himachal. I have always dreamt of enabling the common man to use air travel. Air travel is crucial in promoting tourism in Himachal. Indian government has introduced a scheme named ‘UDAN’ to make air-travel cheaper. I started it here, in Shimla. And it's going to expand in the coming days. Helicopter service had already started and many more services are yet to start to promote tourism in Himachal.
We are also working to increase connectivity by all means. To achieve progress of Himachal, we have to travel on two tracks. One is transportation and the other is tourism. The two tracks are the fastest way to transformation.
We are now working on the improvement of tourism. The work on National Highway projects worth approximately Rs.9000 crores is underway. Many projects are near completion and will be beneficial in the coming days.
I have mentioned already that tourism is a paramount force in creating a bright future for Himachal. Tourism is such a sector where with little investment many can be employed. India is becoming a centre of tourist attraction. People didn't know much of India, than Taj Mahal. Now a curiosity to know more about India is growing in the world.
In 2013 we have received 13 lakhs foreign tourists. In 2017 it has increased to one crore. That is approximately 45 percent. When tourists come here, they spend here, and with that the chance of employment is increased. According to a prediction, about 18 billion dollars were spent by foreign tourists in India. That has been increased to 27 billion dollars in 4 years in 2017. That is a 50 percent increase. This amount reaches the middle class and they are benefitted.
In 2013 the number of approved hotels in India was 1200. That has increased to 1800 now in a matter of 4 years. This will be a successful tourist destination in the coming years. There is a World Economy Forum that ranks places in travel and tourism.
You will be happy to know that from 65th place we have ascended to 40th place during our government’s regime. In coming years, we are trying to bring it within the 25th ranking. This rank is based on the measurement in modifications made in tourism, improvement of infrastructure, betterment of connectivity, the number of hotels and facilities, the feeling of the safety among citizens, and we were able to achieve all this.
To advocate tourism we have also introduced ‘E-visa’. This increased the ease of travelling to India and got them rid of the challenges faced during VISA application. In addition to the prominence of tourism, many of my brothers from the army live here. There’s no family here without a soldier. They have been asking for ‘One rank- one pension’ for the past forty years, but the government refused to listen. When this matter is stressed during election they have dealt it with false promises.
You’ll be shocked to know that nothing was on paper - the requirements for this scheme, solution for this scheme or the beneficiaries. No calculations were done. False promises were made by the then government and they fooled our soldiers. And a meager Rs.500 crores were assigned in the budget. They made big announcements before then elections, that ‘one rank-one pension’ amount would be granted. They lied to our soldiers, just like they are lying to our farmers now.
When we came to power, we wanted to implement this Rs.500 crore scheme promised by them, and I asked for the related files. Our departments searched for the files and could never find one. No paper work was ever done by the previous government regarding this. When we calculated the estimated cost required for this scheme we arrived at a figure of Rs.12000 crores.
Our soldiers were patient for 40 years. They have never been out of discipline. They have always respected the system. They kept asking for this scheme, and our soldiers who are ready to sacrifice their lives for our country, were lied to. It’s a matter of ridicule that just Rs.500 crores was assigned for this.
When our government came, we wanted to do this and there immediately was a responsibility of Rs.12000 crores on us. It’s very difficult to assign Rs.12000 crores for anything at one go, for any government. I spoke to our soldiers and told them that I wouldn’t be able to arrange the complete amount in one go, but will deliver the sum in 3-4 installments. Our soldiers trusted me, and I’m very happy to announce that, in 4 installments, a whole sum of Rs.12000 crores reached our soldiers.
Brothers and sisters,
They did the same to our farmers, during the then elections. They promised a waiver of farmer loans. In total there’s a collective amount of six lakh crores. Only Rs.60,000 crores were waived, out of which Rs.50,000 crores were delivered. It was said that out of those Rs.50,000 crores, 35,000 lakh people who are not farmers took the money through fake ID proofs.
At that time news papers were so full of scam news that, this news about our farmers wasn’t ever mentioned in the newspapers. CAG reported on these facts. Our innocent farmers shouldn’t have been lied to. Even during Punjab elections, many false promises were made about ‘farmer-loan waivers’, and till now, nothing reached Punjab’s farmers. Even in Karnataka elections, they had promised a ‘farmer-loan waiver’, where only 800 farmers were given token rupees, and nothing more.
Brothers and sisters,
One shouldn’t promise and under-deliver. False promises were made to our soldiers and farmers. A country shouldn’t be run this way. Any work should be done with one’s complete effort and honesty. And I appreciate Jai Ramji, for his honest efforts. Only that can gain the trust of people. We have never promised of some ‘golden age’, or that ‘every house will have a car in front of it’. We have never ‘over-promised’ and ‘under- delivered’. we put our efforts honestly. Himachal had put its efforts and are reaping the benefits now.
Brothers and sisters,
I have seen the love of people of Himachal. Sometimes we couldn't image in the type of love. There’s an incident that touched my heart. I once had a chance to visit Israel, where there is a tradition of covering one’s head, just like in our Gurudwaras. When I had to cover my head, I wore my ‘Himachali’ cap, and was roaming around in Israel. People of Himachal have seen this on TV, and I have received many letters from people, on me donning a ‘Himachali’ cap in Israel. I never thought of it. Many people that I have met here mentioned the incident. I am very humbled by the love, that people of Himachal have given me.
Brothers and Sisters,
I talk about Himachal- tourism at every opportunity that I get, when I go somewhere. That’s because I am aware of every nook and corner here. And the progress here gives me immense pleasure. I’m very happy that I could serve you. It is ‘cleanliness’ that plays the main role in promoting tourism. I would like to congratulate the citizens of Himachal on creating a culture of cleanliness. It’s cleanliness is talked about by the tourists coming here from every part of the country. It’s you who have worked on banning the plastic, making Himachal ‘open-defecation free’, to keep Himachal clean. This not only improves the living conditions here, but also promotes tourism here. I would like to congratulate all of you on this.
Your campaign of creating ‘home-stays’ which was started at the time of Dhoomalji, have promoted tourism as well. I have stayed in and seen some home-stays. Some were run by our very own party personnel. Today it is a centre of attraction. Foreign tourists also prefer home-stays over staying in a hotel. In this small state, over 80,000 online-registries were received. This is collectively achieved by the citizens of Himachal Pradesh. This brings a sense of belonging to our tourism. I would like to congratulate you all on this.
Our Chief Minister had created a few schemes in addition to the ones from the central government, so that the youth of Himachal are molded to become ‘job creators’ instead of ‘job seekers’. Your schemes are made to bring out good results. With this, male entrepreneurs are to get 25 percent and women entrepreneurs are to get 30 percent of subsidy. This encouragement lays the foundation of a modern Himachal Pradesh.
In this start-up world, Himachal is also going to make its name prominent. Himachal has also the right to be included in ‘Digital-India’, and its connectivity. Optical fiber networks are being installed at a fast pace. Tourism and youth alike will be benefitted from it. I got the opportunity to go and interact with people of Himachal and the people of ‘common-service-centre’, and I have seen how modern technology is being used here.
Today, If someone's son is on the border, his mother now need not to say, put the telephone as the bill is enhancing, because mother knows that- there is Modi now and the mobile is free. So they can have long conversation on mobile. When the son says, mother I have to go as the whistle is ringing, only then the mother puts the call off with difficulty. Now-a-days mobile data is so cheap, when compared to the days when we used to be afraid of opening a message on the phone, to avoid the bill. Now they are concerned of the battery being discharged. I am so happy to see Himachal growing technologically.
A lot can be done when it comes to the sector of farming in Himachal. I’m thankful to the governor and Jairamji, for they undertook this work. I call you, my brothers and sisters, so we can make Himachal an organic state. Agriculture can be carried out in an organic way, instead of using chemical fertilizers. Himachal can become an organic state, and once it becomes so, it will make its way to the world’s biggest markets.
In India, today Sikkim is the only organic state. Himachal has the caliber. I call upon the farmers in Himachal to make use of the scheme. I have seen the presentation, where it’s shown how ‘zero-budget farming’ is done, how a change can be brought in the farming techniques. It’s been briefly explained in the video and I am happy that we are taking these steps.
Brothers and sisters,
There are many schemes. The scheme ‘Ayushman Bharat' made a new record, where the poorest of the poor will get five lakh rupees as health coverage. If they need to be operated on etc., the Indian government will give the cover for 5 lakh rupees for the hospital bills. It’s not even been 100 days since we have started this scheme; it had already served more than 6 lakh people.
I had an opportunity to meet an old woman here, which had a heart ailment, but did not have any money for the treatment. “But with ‘Ayushman Bharat’ scheme I have got the treatment needed, and I’m standing with you” she said. I’m very happy to see the bliss on her face, and to have saved a mother’s life. The work on this scheme is progressing rapidly. In the sector of ‘Health and medicine’, there were only 300 medical seats for students. Now, within four years the number had reached to 700. Opportunities are increasing for our youth.
Brothers and sisters,
We are already stressing on development. Himachal, having on its side both the central and state government, is like a machine with double engine power. And with this power we can scale any heights with greater pace. Coming to the corruption in our country, and the people who used the national treasury for their own benefit, I have started a war against them. And with your blessings as my strength, I will relentlessly fight against it.
You will be shocked to know, when we started this ‘Direct Benefit Transfer’, where we directly deposit the amount in the beneficiary’s account, we were able to find six crore people’s accounts which were fake. But in government’s records, these people were born and raised, married, widowed and had grown old. Money was transferred to these accounts.
As a matter of perspective, six crore people are equivalent to 10 times the population of Himachal. Rs.90,000 crores were transferred to these fake accounts. I stopped all of these transfers. Only the beneficiaries would get the amount assigned. Then we asked the question “to whom would this sum have reached?”
There would be these dealers, middle-men, who would nick amounts varying between Rs.200 and Rs2000. But their accounts are closed now. And they are calling me a thief now. They are afraid of this ‘Chowkidar’ now. With your blessings, we will be able to eliminate these forces and establish a country where, honest effort, an honest government, honest work and honest governance will prevail.
I would like to convey my thanks to all of you, who have come here in great numbers, to show their belief in us and to celebrate the first anniversary of new BJP Government in the State. Jairamji told me that people were coming in huge numbers and a few people who were travelling to come here have met with an accident and got injured. I pray for their recovery. The arrangements of their treatment and other things required are being supervised by Jairamji himself. I am with you and Government of India will provide all necessary help and assistance. I know the difficulties you have faced to come here and attend this function in this dire cold weather. Some of you might reached one day earlier.
I request you all to reach your homes safely, I don’t want any incidents to happen and no one’s life should be in trouble. Even if it takes some more time while travelling back, go slowly and safely.
Take care of your health. Work together for the progress of Himachal.
Say this with me,
Mother India!, Victory to thee!,
Mother India!, Victory to thee!
Mother India!, Victory to thee!,
Thanks a lot!